


World of Remnant

by Atilas



Category: Mage: The Ascension, RWBY, World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-07-22 11:16:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7435172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atilas/pseuds/Atilas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every child in the four Kingdoms is taught a very simple lesson as they grow, the world outside the walls and limits of the Kingdoms is full of monstrous Grimm that are barely kept away by our proud Hunters and our superior technology, not magic, magic doesn't exist. There is no Vampire running the city from the shadow, no shape-shifting monster in the woods, no witches, no faeries, nothing. So don't try to go out, don't look outside and certainly don't read history book from before the foundation of the Kingdoms if you, by miracle, find one. Learn this lesson and follow it and your life will be great. Just great.</p>
<p>N.W.O draft for hidden propaganda n.02338</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

     The gravestone was lost amidst a frozen landscape, on the edge of a great cliff overseeing the calm water of an ocean that extended far over the horizon. It was a beautiful spot in summer, the sort of place one would go to have picnic with its family or romantic partner, watching the slow waves crash against the cliff and the sun’s slowly go down the horizon in a fireworks of colors, shining over the crystal clear water. In winter though, the place was like a wasteland, a silent graveyard with harsh winds that swept the land like whips. Nothing lived there but things so empty they couldn’t even feel the piercing cold. When winter close its icy claws on the land, the only spot visible through the heavy white mantle was a little gray headstone. No snow, no leaves and no salt ever touched the stone surface which was as pristine now as when it had been made. Kneeling in front of the tombstone was a small figure clad in black and red, a mere dot in the landscape, immobile in the snow, only by getting very next to it could you identify the thing as a young girl.

The snow cracked gently under the hooves of a black horse as it slowly walked toward the gravestone before fizzling as the surprisingly high heat coming from the animal boiled the ice crystals to steam. On its back, the rider was draped in a shimmering cloak. Of a midnight black it shone with sparkling lights with each movement from its wearer like if she was wearing a patch of night sky that had somehow been ripped off and turned into fabric. As she approached the tombstone the young girl didn’t move from her position, nor did she reacted when the rider dismounted from its horse. The newcomer’s head was covered by a large wide-brimmed felt hat with a long royal blue feather from a strange bird that had never seen the sun’s light and with prophetic tendencies on the left side, her face cast in shadow even as the snowy land glittered under the light of the full moon. Her boots produced no sound as she walked beside the young girl, made from scales tiny as a rat's fingernail and bright as beads. Stopping just behind her, the rider stood motionless as the wind swept through the landscape and blasted her cloak open, revealing her feminine features clothed in an outfit of white and blue with mysterious gleams of apocyanic.

“She looks peaceful.” Commented the rider.

Another figure was present on the land, kneeling beside the sleeping girl in black and red clothes. She had not walked to the side of the girl, she had not teleported or landed or flown in, rather her arrival could be best described, in a limited language, as if the shadows themselves had gotten more and more solid until it was as if a patch of oil was standing in the air and was then slowly distorted as something passed through the patch, letting it drip over itself and drape it like a liquid veil, slowly giving the thing a human shape until every single spot of skin and cloth was perfectly defined, only then did the colors begin to appear on the person’s face and clothes, and all that in but the blink of an eye. She was dressed in a white cloak whose touch of gant dye made it beige, a cloak that hide most of her feature apart from her dark red hair and silver eyes.

“She is young and innocent.” Answered the newcomer.

Gently, she replaced some of the sleeping girl’s hair before carefully laying her down on the gravestone.

“You know she would probably appreciate knowing you are still alive Leliel.”

Slowly, the women in white shook her head. “She would follow me to the end of the world if I asked it of her. Starting with a smile on her face and hope on her heart, ending empty of both, less than a shadow of herself.” She turned her head toward the rider and for a passing second her face was an ivory skull with empty eye sockets that looked right at her soul. “That will not happen.”

The other women nodded. “I can understand the feeling, but I have to ask, why are we meeting here if that is the case?”

The mother rose from the crouched form, her eyes watching other place than the one they were. “An old thing is awakening. Something from very long ago, when the world was young and deception had not yet been invented.”

The world turned silent for a second, the wind stopped howling, the sea stood still and everything was calm. Then, a yelp.

“Hey!” Taking a step back, Liliel rubbed the top of her head where the other girl had swatted her.

“You have not changed at all from the Melancholish navigator I took on board at Venderbight’s port. Still as dramatically dramatic and a poor truth twister as you were back then. Now answer me, why have you chosen this place?”

Now with all of her previous gravity dispersed, the women in beige looked more like a schoolgirl being scolded by her teacher than the grim reaper she appeared to be only a moment ago.

“I… I know what this looks like, but this land and I have hidden a lot of useful things here and…”

Another swap interrupted her.

“Why this time? You could tell where she was even in the middle of the Iron Republic.”

“It was only once.” She mumbled. “And I hadn’t realized what day it…”

The rider raised its hand. “Stop. What did I say about you and lies? You could not sell a water bottle to a rich man in the desert, yet you can deceive yourself in thinking that the day is night while looking at the blazing sun.”

With a sigh, the rider produced a small pouch from under her cloak and picked two marbles sized balls of gold wrapped honey out of it before handing them to Liliel.

“Now do get on with it you dunce, captain’s order.”

The girl in white gasped at the sight of the two golden candy, grabbing them like they were diamonds.

“I… Winter I…”

“Shush. I commanded you to get on with it, no hug, no thanks, do it!”

With a nod, Liliel rushed to the sleeping girl’s side. An instant latter, they both disappeared for a dream they desperately needed.

xxxxxxxx

When Liliel reappeared, several hours had gone by and a small campfire was now burning in the night, a circle of melted snow around it. Sitting on a fresh log, Winter was watching a teapot being slowly heated above the fire as Liliel moved to sit on the other side of the fire on another log.

“Where?”      

“I dropped her at h… her home.”

They both noticed the slip and both ignored it, one in the hope of maintaining her self-imposed exile, the other because it was the polite thing to do between respectful associates.

“Good. Now, could you please inform me as to why you asked me to travel all this way into the inner border of a Technocracy’s enclave?”

Shifting her weight and playing with her sleeves, Liliel resumed her story.

“Back in the time of Atrocities there was a great Angel of the Wild who fought on It side. At first he was the creator of many beasts and creatures, responsible for the protection of some of the great forest of this age. His battles were battles of survival of the fittest and uncontrolled expansion fighting against the world itself to survive. Slowly though, through eons of new species and constant brutal survival, he met another Rabisu. This Rabisu was a follower of the Ebon legion and brought with him flocks of humans, sending them in the forest in droves to die and drown the land in blood. The Angel, for a lack of better word, relished the challenge. His creation grew more and more violent, viciously hunting every human that entered his lands, devouring them. The trees would move and laid trap, the animals slowly moved from an balanced ecosystem to an entirely predator base one, the grass itself was releasing digestive enzymes, in short, the entire forest had turned into a predator specifically designed to hunt, kill and digest humans.”

“Quite a fall from high.” Commented Winter as she removed the teapot from the fire and poured two cups of steaming tea, handing one to the Fallen before her. “I’m not sorry for that.” She said to the glaring Liliel.

With a sigh at Winter’s humor, the girl took a sip. “Is that tea from…”

“Yes. Please though, go on with your story.”

“Ah yes. To resume a millennium long story, this Angel of the Wild eventually fell and took on another name. In today’s language I suppose it could be pronounced: The Thing of Leaves and Fangs that Thirst and Prey Through Night and Day for The Joy of Human Cries.”

“Quite the mouthful.”

Liliel nodded. “His Celestial name is now known only by those who fought him and serve him.”

“Serve him?” Winter asked, eyebrow raised.

“Yes. For all his bestiality, he developed one goal over the ages. To devour and consume every human and angel that had turned their back on gods.”

“Which most likely include about every living human on the universe.”

“Precisely. He was infamous for this even back in the days of the war. As for serving him, some angels and human managed to survive his hunger by pledging themselves to him, acting as is agents and infiltrators. He was destroyed in the End’s days of the fall when his domain was burned with lightning and drowned under the sea. Ultimately, he was sent to the Pit like all the rebels.”

“An intriguing snippet of history I agree. I suppose he has recently emerged from some of the dark corner one can find when they start looking for the things hidden under the forbidden secrets. Still, it is not quite a tale of terror yet.”

Somberly, Liliel took another sip from her cup. “He disappeared from the Pit a long time ago and I believe most had forgotten about him until some years ago. It started with reports about dark forest moving around, merging together, then of creatures that had not been seen since the dawn of time popping around. I did not become aware of until some months ago though. Winter, there has been roots digging through the rooftop of the Neath.”

“The Masters reaction?”

“Terrible. For now the growth is restrained to the eastern part of the zee, but it’s only a matter of time. They are not alone though. The Burning Sea’s tribes, the Lords’ realms, the Rokugan, even Horizon and the Second city have all reported signs of the forest growing. It won’t be too long now before the Kingdoms are under attack.”

“Another enemy to consider then. I nice warning, but a simple pigeons would have been enough.

“I know.”

Both women shared a look.

“You had a part in his downfall.”

Somberly, Lilied nodded. “I need to ask something of you.”

xxxxxxxx

As the sun rose over the horizon, one shadow extended over the land. The fire had died not long ago, now reduced to a pile of burning cinder slowly dying and being covered by blowing snow. On her horse, Winter gave a last look to the lonely tombstone.

“In all manners of things, always look for love.”

The shadow moved on and the land was empty.

* * *

 

     Yang smiled as she saw the two girls approaching. The little minions had pumped her up for a real fight and those two looked slightly more competent than their peers. Bracing herself, she was ready to engage in another session of beat down. What he was not expecting to happen was for the music to suddenly stop and be replaced by somebody clapping hands.

“What?”

She turned toward the source of the clapping, somewhere on the balcony on the second floor overseeing the whole club. The spot was lost in deep shadows, revealing only the outline of a silhouette standing there.

“A beautiful show of huntress combat skills. Unfortunately, I am afraid this will have to stop.”

“Oh, and I suppose you’re the one who’s going to do it?” She answered, raising her arms for the attack to come.

“As much as it would be entertaining, I am afraid this confrontation will have to wait. Though, you are very welcome to fight these gentlemen and gentlewomen.”

As he finished his sentence, four police officer rushed through the front door and on the dance floor, weapon drawn.

“Everybody stops! Drop your weapons! Get on the ground!”

For a second she was stunned at the sheer idea that a bunch of criminals would simply call the cops. This second was well used by Junior and the girls to do exactly as the cops had said, drop their weapons and get on their knees. As they rushed forward, Yang was tempted to fight her way out. After all, she could get away from the police, could she not? They weren’t that thought? And they didn’t know who she was, right? Very carefully, she tightened her first.

“Smile for the camera blondie.” Suddenly said Junior.

She flinched, snapping her head toward the newcomers that were tailing the cops. A man with a camera and a woman in a suit with a mike, both from the VNN. She felt a knot in her throat as the camera was aimed at her, taking in her picture on the dance floor, weapon deployed with multiple unconscious bodies around her. Now she had really messed up.

“I said hands in the air!” One of the cop commanded, gun aimed at her.

With an annoyed grunt she complied, retracting Amber Celica and raising her arms. This night was on a fast track to be in her top ten worst nights, close to her first hangover. Closing on her, one cop grabbed her arms and pulled them in front of her while the other kept her at gunpoint.

“Hey watch out with the merchandise.”

She protested as he tightened the cuffs on her wrists and relieved her of her bracelet.

“Shut up scum. The kind of sickos who start fights in public like you don’t deserve better.”

She gasped at the insult. “What! He’s the criminal, not me!”

“So, you didn’t start the fight here, shooting shotguns beside the crowd.” He cynically spat.

“Hm, okay, maybe. But hey, what is a girl supposed to do when surrounded with a bunch of clingy guys?”

“Call the police.” Was his short answer as he began pulling her toward the exit.

“Well, if you promise to be the one to come next time, maybe I will.” She said with a sultry smile, pushing her chest up.

“Shut up bitch.” He said, twisting her arm slightly.

“If I wasn’t tied up y…” She swore through her gritted teeth as they passed the door, only to be interrupted by the blinding sight of the many cop cars’ light illuminating the night, the screaming ambulance and paramedics rushing inside the club, the crowd of curious that had gathered around to watch, the people from the club ushered together with blankets. It was a big organized chaos.

“Oh! Crap.”

Any moment now, the flash would capture her full glory as she was guided to the cop’s car. Sure it wasn’t the first time she had been arrested, but it was the first time it had been so public. Well, at least let’s make this a nice occasion was her train of thoughts as she began the long walk to the car. Grinning, she raised her chin as she walked the red carpet, winking to some cute looking onlookers, swaying her hips and acting like this was a VIP club entrance. Well, it was, but more like she wasn’t handcuffed. She even sent a kiss to the assembled crowd as the flash of camera illuminated the night before the police car’s door was slammed shut.

“Well, that was fun.” She stretched on the seat, completely comfortable. “Hey, do we really have to make such a big thing about it.” She asked the cop who got behind the steering wheel.

“You beat up a dozen person in a club.” Was is answer.

“Okay, that. But they had guns and they were real assholes.”

“Doesn’t mean you could shatter a guy’s pelvis.”

She cocked her head on the side. “A what?”

“Damn huntress.” He muttered as he drove away from the club and into the city. On the backseat, Yang was whistling to herself, observing the defiling city streets passing by the window, the streetlights and neon signs giving her brief glimpse of Vale’s nightlife with all its club, bar and other place to hang out after dark. Slowly though, the sights along the street began to change. Darker bars, shady clubs, even streetwalkers started to appear as the building became more run down with graffiti popping up on the walls, trash littering the ground and rough looking people haunting the front of liquor store.

“Hey, what’s going on? I thought we were going to the station.”

The cop didn’t answer, he simply kept driving. The road led them right into a tunnel and suddenly all light was gone. Nothing could be seen through the windows except for the fast passing blink of white light from the security lights and the only true source of illumination came from the car’s head’s up display.

“Hey!” She kicked the seat in front of her. “What’s going on jackass?”

“Many things miss Xiao Long. Most you will never notice.”

She jerked back into her seat at the voice. Not because of the voice in itself, though there was a certain unsettling quality to it, like if the speaker had pebbles grinding against each other in his throat. No, it was because it was coming from the passenger seat and she could have sworn that it had been empty a second ago.

“What the hell! Who are you?”

“Not somebody of note. You on the other hand Miss Xiao Long, are quite the interesting person. At seventeen you already have quite the record, minor offense, assault, public fighting, speeding tickets, and many more. Minor offense in the eyes of today’s law and unlikely to be much trouble, at least as long as you are a minor that is.”

She shrugged. “So I’m a bad girl, you have a problem with that?”

“None at all. But let’s continue with you. You have recently been chosen to pass Beacon Academy entrance exam and until then have been studying at Signal Academy along your sister Ruby, is this correct?”

Yang simply glared at the dark shape on the front seat.

“Your uncle and father are teachers at this academy are they not? Your status as a huntress makes you as close to immune as one can be to the consequences of those minor offenses, you would not be the first huntress to be excused of any criminal acts short of murder after all. They, on the other hand, stand much to lose if words of your acts were to spread beyond Vale.”

She snorted at him. “If you’re trying to scare me, you’re failing.”

“I’m not trying to scare you Miss Xiao Long. If I wanted to scare you I would mention that dogs are particularly vulnerable to many commonly available drug, most easily hidden inside dog food. I would also remark on the fact that gravestone are easily smashed by sledgehammer.”

Her feet smashed against the grilling separating her from the front seats, bending the steel.

“If you dare to touch them you fucker I will…”

“Assault a police officer?” Interrupted the creepy sounding man. “I hardly see how this would stop me. Maybe you wanted to say that you would kill me rather? That would be an interesting situation to be sure.”

Okay, this was seriously wrong. Nobody normal simply mentioned being murdered the way he had. Looking through the window she could still only see deep darkness and there was no tunnel in Vale going for as long as that.

“What’s going on? Answer me!”

“We are simply discussing. Now, there are a few more interesting things about you Miss Xiao Long. Or rather, your mother.”

Yang instantly froze on her seat.

“Your mother, Raven Branwen, left some time after your birth. Most of your minor infractions can be traced back to the personal quest you have undertaken in finding her. Quite the dedication toward someone that you knew for barely a moment.”

Both her feet hit the grilling. “Fuck you!”

“With methods like these, I can understand your lack of result. Which is why we might come to an understanding.”

She stayed silent, glaring at the shadow.

“Good. You understand that contrary to your previous attempt at information gathering, this will require compensation on your part.”

“What do you want?”

“A simple exchange, nothing more, nothing less. Favours against information. You are completely free to refuse, but should you be interested, simply wait for us to get in touch.”

With a screeching noise the car came to a halt and the door beside her unlocked. As fast as she could with handcuffs Yang got the hell of the car, jumping out on the sidewalk. When she turned back toward the cop car, she only had the time to see a glimpse of a dark parched hand throwing her weapons and a photo out of the passenger’s window before the vehicle sped away, leaving her behind. She dove down to grab her gauntlet and the picture, flipping it over with trembling hands to reveal the image of her mother walking into a motel, the picture from a security camera indicating the date of it being taken as only last week.

Shaking, she got back on her feet. Forcing herself to take her eyes away from this single piece of new information, the first one in months casually thrown her way, she looked at her surroundings. There was beer bottle and cigarette butts on the ground, a group of people assembled around a flaming barrel, old run down apartments with broken windows, people on the other side of the street looking at her with guns tuck away in their waist belt.

“Shit.”

* * *

 

     Weiss slammed the door to her private dressing room with enough force to rattle the frame, gratefully putting a barrier between her and the crowd of sycophants praising her singing. More than half of them couldn’t have told the difference between a tone and a semitone to save their lives and yet kept telling her how good she was and how perfect her natural voice was. Natural voice. Did they even realize how much work went into singing? None of them was here to hear her sing anyway, simply seeing her recital as another tool to further their ascension up the corporate ladder, a way to be seen or use her for themselves.

Inside the room there was the usual bouquet of flowers, a rainbow of colors filling a quarter of the room, the largest with a little card from her father about how he was too busy to attend her show, but was proud of her. Given that the card’s message was typed and not written and had been the same since her first show, she doubted the sincerity of it. However none of that was important. Enthusiastically, she dived down into the forest of flowers looking for the only one that really mattered. She looked, then looked some more, then even more, she looked until she was smashing aside bouquet of flowers, frantically searching for something that didn’t appear to be there.

“Miss, is everything alright?” Came the voice of one of her bodyguard from the other side of the door.

“Did anybody entered my room?” She almost yelled at him.

“No miss. Nobody went in beside you.”

Panting with frustration she slumped down on her chair, looking at the mess that was now her dressing rooms with broken ceramic and crushed flowers, glaring at them like they were personally responsible for the current situation.

“Miss, the staff is here for you.”

With a sigh, she turned back toward the large mirror and composed herself, putting back on her usual mask.

“Let them in.” She answered him with a defeated sigh.

* * *

 

     She kept her mask all the way through the post-recital reception, making small comments with the spectator, politely accepting the proposition of many sycophants trying to use her to influence her father without ever engaging herself to anything, faking flutter when the heirs of other grand family tried their hand at seduction, enduring it all through gritted teeth. It was only several hours later in the limo driving her back home that she allowed herself to drop the act and let a scowl twist her traits.

“A problem miss Schnee?” Asked the bodyguard facing her with its usual monotone voice.

Plenty, she wanted to shout, but there was nothing she could do about it besides making the situation worse. So, she simply shook her head and looked outside at the screen of falling snow blocking her view. What could have happened? Did her father intercept it? Was there a problem with her? Did it get lost on the way there? What had happened? She was deep into these reflections when the car abruptly came to a halt.

“Wha…!” Weiss exclaimed as she was jerked forward.

Almost immediately, her bodyguard had straddled Weiss back into her seat and was in contact with the rest of the convoy.

“Client 1, what’s going on?” She said into the microphone around her ear.

Weiss didn’t hear the answer, more focused on her bodyguard’s hand pressing her against the seat. She did hear what followed though.

“Client 1, what did you say was blocking the way?” Snapped her bodyguard, immediately followed by the sound of gunfire coming ahead of them.

Instantly, two cars rushed part theirs and the limo moved away from whatever was in front of them while their car turned around and began accelerating into the city’s street.

“Miss, put on your seat-belt. Now!” Ordered the bodyguard as she drew her weapon.

It wasn’t the first time Weiss had been targeted by assassins. Her whole family was constantly under threat from the White Fangs and other groups. Still, it was the first time she had been attacked so directly.

“Keep your head down!”

The bodyguard said as she pushed her down on the backseat. Weiss wanted to protest, but as she opened her mouth she heard a scream followed by an explosion.

“We lost Client 1 and 2.” The driver screamed.

Okay, now it was really terrifying. Especially when something heavy landed on the top of the limo, bending the aluminum frame. Immediately Weiss’ bodyguard opened fire through the roof as the shape sprinted across the top of the car and over the driver. The sound of steel being ripped open along with the gush of cold wind and snow that entered the car as the roof was pulled off was one of the most terrifying moments in her existence. With a shriek the driver ran out of the car, running into the snowstorm outside without even taking the time to stop the vehicle, abandoning them behind.

“Stay in the car!”

Weiss’ bodyguard commanded before getting out, her aiming her weapon at the top of the car the last image the heiress saw before the door was slammed shut. Several shots followed before a thunderous roar made deafened her, like if there was a whole pack of Grimm screaming on the other side of the window, followed by a shrieking scream and the sound of metal being twisted and crushed. Okay, no, she couldn’t stay here a second longer. Unlocking her seat belt, she rushed for the door opposite the one she saw her bodyguard disappear into and ran face first into the snowstorm blowing through the city. The cold she was used too, the wind and snow hitting her like a slap across the face, a little less. She could see and hear the piercing sound of car alarms, flames coming from somewhere ahead of them, the cacophony of gunfire all around, headlight acting as lighthouse through the snow wall in front of her eyes, the screams of people. This whole situation was pure chaos.

With only one idea in mind, Weiss started running. Her high heels snapped against the pavement, crushing the snow as she rushed beside the shadows of other human being and stopped car, wandering through streets she had no idea led to where, only that they lead away from there. In the distance she could hear even more gunfire and wailing of fear or pain, she wasn’t sure, then the wolf howl. It was as if every sound had been buried under the shrieking cry, a shadow that stopped everything and everyone who heard it on the spot, shaking them to their very soul. Then, what was chaos turned to pandemonium. Car previously immobile with worried drivers were suddenly going at full speed, the drivers so panicked they no longer cared what was in their way. Previously panicked pedestrians were now completely frantic, running and pushing each other out of the way like wild animals. Screams doubled in intensity, now also accompanied by violent snarls and growls as beasts invaded the street, at least she assumed since the only things Weiss could see were the trail of car’s headlights and people hustling past her. Blindly, she charged into a side street, hoping to escape the mayhem that had gripped the city. The alley was dark and glacial, but empty of people. Still, Weiss kept running deeper and deeper into it, motivated by a fear she had never felt before. She knew how to fight that was a fact, even if her sword was locked into the trunk of the limo she knew, deep into herself that she could still fight, yet, even deeper than that, in the very primal and ancient depth of herself, she knew there was something terrible and unnatural chasing her, something that would not stop until it was feasting on her flesh, something she should fear, something artificial. And so she kept running, kept running deeper into the dark alleys of Vale until she was completely and utterly lost.

Natural sunlight was rare here, blocked by the tall building surrounding her. Frozen trashcans, old rags, congealed waste dripping from pierced pipes and grey walls were her new environment as she continued running. The howls had not stopped, always just behind her, the sound of growls and jaw snapping seemingly only a meter away, chasing her. Then, suddenly, a bam as she smashed into something solid. The impact sending her tumbling backward on the ground, stunned.

“Aie! Hey! Look where you are going you… brute?”

The man, for it was certainly a man, must have been over 6 feet in height, towering over her like a mountain, a mountain with broad shoulders hiding the sun, covered heat to toes in some sort of black and yellow armor, his face hidden by a snarling golden mask. On the ground, Weiss felt the particularly mordant words she had in mind get stuck in her throat as the giant slowly lowered its head, glaring down at her with green amber eyes. She barely held back a yelp as a low growl came from under the mask and the man-thing knelt down over her, his arm slowly extending toward her.

“Lady Schnee.”

The growling voice shocked her out of her stunned state, enough to realize that no this wasn’t the big bad wolf from her youth stories, but simply a very large man in armor offering her a hand to get up. While her mind was still reeling from the run and the primal fear, it was outweighed by years of etiquette that had been ingrained into her and manner courses on how to be a Schnee. Quickly composing herself, she gracefully took his hand as he helped her up on her feet, ignoring the fact that she was shaking and not because of the cold. Once she was up, the man took a step backward and bowed.

“I am Tomoe Musashi, from the Ti...”

“Hm, right.” Frankly she was a little panicked at the moment. First the howl, then this odd man bowing and introducing himself like this was a polite meeting. “Well thank you, but I need to go now and you should probably run too.” She said, brushing the snow off her dress and carefully sidestepping the man only for him to move back in front of her.

“Please, I came from far away at the req…”

He was interrupted by, what else could it be, a shrieking howl that was coming from right behind them. The menace that had been at the forefront of her mind so recently to be replaced by confusion was back at full force.

“Ah, the mongrel is close. Lady Schnee I…”

Weiss wasn’t listening, mostly because something monstrous had just jumped from the alley. The closest thing to it was a Beowulf, as the size and color matched somewhat. That was it. People described Beowulf as snarling beasts, monsters of black fur with sharp teeth, red eyes and vicious claws. The thing that was charging at her was a true monster, a thing moving like a blur of pure darkness, jaws open and frothing as it rushed toward her, long yellow teeth dripping with saliva, eyes like two burning embers in the middle of a pool of black toxic waste, claws like cleavers slicing through the air with a piercing sound, overgrown muscles pumping black blood through this abnormal body, Grimm didn’t have blood, but this thing had and right on its chest, a black spiral like the eye of some terrible creature looking right at her soul. It was, in every sense of the word, too much for her mind. This thing could not exist, it simply could not. Grimm okay, this, this was simply unnatural, too savage, like a nightmare coming to life to eat her.

Then, too fast for her to see, the mountain behind her moved. One moment the creature was upon her, the next her vision was blocked and there was a terrible scream that shook her down to her bones. The man in armor seemed even larger this close, as if he was 10 feet tall, brandishing a large two hand saber that was dripping with dark blood. Stumbling backward before him, the mutated Beowulf now had a large bleeding gash all across his chest showing parts of his guts. Barely a moment latter and the cut was already starting signs of healing, the blood stopping to flow and the edge getting closer to each other. That was it for Weiss. Without a word she drunkenly walked to a corner a little further away and curled up against the wall, choosing to ignore everything else beside the little tune her sister had taught her.

“London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down, falling down.

London Bridge is falling down,

My fair lady…”

She continued to sing as the screams turned to violent screeches, the sound of flesh being cut and the smell of fresh blood spilled filled the alley, howls became gurgles and frantic pleas for mercy that were ignored until with one final sound of air being sliced along with flesh, bones and other biological matter, the fight ended. Still she kept singing, singing her little nursery rhyme as the shadow of a mountain moved in front of him and slowly knelt, putting something down in front of her.

“From Lady Winter. She hopes this humble gift of words and honest feeling will help you toward your journey of self-improvement and in making the choices that you feel are the most right for your future.”

“Silver and gold will be stolen away,

Stolen away, stolen away,

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

My fair lady…”

After a moment that felt like two eternity, the shadow moved away without a sound and only then did Weiss dare open her eyes to look at her feet. Resting there was a single white flower along with a single letter tied atop a small lacquered wooden box. The gift she hadn’t found before.

* * *

 

Blake watched as Adam slowly disappeared into the night along with half the train, leaving her alone, alone to find a new, better, purpose.

“GG.”

She jumped backward at the sudden voice, weapons raised, looking for the source. Only, even with her faunus senses she couldn’t see anybody. As she scanned the night, her scroll suddenly vibrated into her pocket. Surprised, she pulled out the small case. Displayed over the screen was a short message: 5000 points bonus for ethical righteousness. Minus 200 with the White Fangs faction. DEM.

“Okay…?” That was a little cryptic, and creepy.

It wasn’t until she checked her private account, two days later, that she noticed the 5000 lien deposit.


	2. Chapter 2 - Winter is coming part 1

**Chapter 2**

**Winter is coming part 1**

**15 years ago**

This series of decision had been one of the most erratic and baseless in logic that Winter had ever taken. Taking another step back, the young Winter felt the hard surface of a wooden wall stop her. She was trapped with two angry faunus advancing on her.

"So, nowhere to run now." The first one said, spitting at her feet.

"Not so brave without a bunch of cops to beat us up are you." The second continued while cracking his knuckles.

This was a situation Winter had never encountered before. Not fear or the threat of wounds. She had come to terms with those two things after her first uncle had been assassinated in his bedroom while they were visiting him. It was new, a mix of those two feeling, not a deep churning in her guts that came with the constant fear of assassination, more of a chill of the skin, like if all of her muscles were itching for her to move, the world was distorted with sounds like the murmurs of the crowd being dampen to near non-existence while every scratch of their boots against the dirty cobblestone of old-Atlas or ruffle of their clothes was crystal clear, time was slow and fast altogether, the street a blur of motion, but each move she made painfully detailed inside her mind, in fact, there was nothing but her and those two faunus that existed in the whole world to her brain. Then, like a bubble being popped, everything crashed down at once. All of her awareness disappeared in but a fraction of a second to be replaced by a primal fear, her cold calm blazed away by a sudden rush of panic and sweat and suddenly she was just an eight-year old surrounded by two men that were about to beat her up and with nobody to help her. One of the men took a step forward, raising his arm and forgetting all she had been taught as a daughter of the main Schnee family, she closed her eyes and curled on herself.

"Stop that right now Storm!" A voice suddenly thundered.

Everyone in the street froze, from the denigrating wives finger pointing at the scene, the wide-eye children watching from between the legs of the adults or the entrance of tortuous alley, the snickering young men, to the feeble and cynical old watching from their seats on the street.

Tentatively, Winter opened her eyes to look at the owner of this voice. She was expecting some young dashing police officer, or military officer in permission with a sharp uniform or even better a veteran and popular Huntsman that rushed to her rescue. She was not expecting a rather old man with short gray hair, a face full of wrinkles with two narrow eyes, a broken nose, a skin burned by the sun, callous hands full of tiny scars, dressed in common clothes with frayed edges, a cape over his left shoulder and a rugged Stetson hat on his head. With each step he took his leather boots snapped against the stony ground and his long thin sword smacked against his thigh. There was a certain dexterity to his gait, a predatory rhythm that was barely hindered by his age and signaled to everyone that he was still a dangerous man.

"What are you two imbeciles doing now?" He exclaimed at the two men.

The strength of his voice staggered the two men who stuttered to form an answer. The one named Storm was the first to manage something similar to a sentence.

"Hey Diego, we… we're giving a lesson to a fucking Schnee."

"Really now. My vision must have really deteriorated with age lads because I could have sworn that this was a little girl you were about to beat up in the street."

The second faunus stepped in front of the old man, glaring at him.

"She's a Schnee."

"And you are a shit. A name is no reason to beat a little girl."

Storm, the first thug, clenched his teeth while the second growled.

"Maybe you spent too much time with humans Al. You're even starting to smell like them, you reek of oil and metal."

"And you smell of turd and curd milk, you don't see me asking you to stop spending your nights with laying with cows." The sharp answer was near instantaneous.

A look of surprise, then anger twisted the deer-man traits into a grimace. "You'e losing you'r mind ol man, saying that kind' things at your age." His powerful hand grabbed the other man's collar. "Maybe you'd need som' help shaking off those human loving tendencies a'ong a coup of teeth."

Under the shocked eyes of the public, the deer-faunus raised his fist. Then, a gasp went through the crowd when a dagger surged from the hidden left hand of the one named Diego and was pressed against the ruffian's neck.

"And I think a youngster like you still as a couple of things to learn before I start to tremble in my boots. Now remove your hand and leave before I have to repaint this alley."

The man's voice was hard as steel and void of any bravado. It was clear to everybody watching that he would plunge his blade into the young man neck without a second of hesitation.

"What's going Diego, you're defending the Schnee now?" Storm interjected.

"Right now I am defending an innocent little girl from two drunken brutes. You want to go punch a cop, fine. But I will not let you attack a child like two Scab."

For some reason unknown to Winter, the entire street gasped at the insult. Even the two brutes seemed shocked, stepping back as if they had been slapped.

"F… Fine." Storm said before turning back to Winter. "You! Count yourself lucky because there won't be a next time."

Quickly grabbing his companion, Storm and he disappeared into the crowd. As soon as they were out of sight, daily life retook his course with conversation resuming, street kids running amongst adults, babies crying, shrewd merchant bartering with witty customers and the previous situation all but forgotten for now. Winter was left stunned, still in the same position as before, panting as if she had just run a marathon. The whole thing had happened so fast, barely more than a couple of minutes and she had gone from safe to in danger of death to alone in the crowd. Tumultuous thoughts bumped around in her head, fear, incomprehension, relief and a whole other array of conflicting emotions. One thing was clear though.

Shaking herself up, she rushed toward the old man.

"Sir, wait."

He didn't stop.

"Sir, I said wait." She continued, walking right in front of him.

"What do you want little girl?" His voice was much lower now. Not soft, just lower, but still as sharp.

She eyed him. "To thank you for your help." Winter said as matter-of-fact.

"Do not. I did not do it for you."

She cocked her head to the side. "What are y…"

"If they had touched you the cops would have turned this block into a slaughterhouse. Now leave before anything else happen."

Paying her no more attention, he moved beside her and continued on his way. Leaving an even more disconcerted Winter in his wake. He couldn't have been serious, she thought, the police can be a little rough, but they only do what they need to keep the peace here. He probably means that the police presence would have provoked a riot with the criminal elements here, was her reflection. She rushed back to him.

"Still. You did help me. What can I do to repay my debt to you?"

"I already told you, leave without starting a riot."

"Please, do you want money?"

"I don't want your father's money."

She pouted. "An employment then. You seem to be in need of one."

"No thank you. Your father has enough hired thugs as it is."

She twitched at the insult. Angrily, she grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.

"Now look here mister." She exclaimed, punctuating her words with a brandished finger. "You won't take money, you won't take a job, you won't take anything I offer you and you are making me very annoyed. I have been very patient and understanding with you and so I expect an answer. Now, tell me what you want?"

The scene was completely comedic in nature, the little girl jamming a finger into the chest of a man closes to twice her size, looking every bits the miniature fury. For a moment, the man was simply stunned in front of such of ferocity coming from such a tiny person. Then, he chuckled.

"Very well, you want to repay me?"

Still pouting Winter nodded determinedly, glad this annoyingly stubborn man had finally come to his sense.

"On the corner of Novorogozhskaya and Kovrov there is a soup kitchen. Help them."

The request stumped Winter. She hadn't really stop to consider that someone might use a favor from of the heir to the Schnee family to help a single soup kitchen.

"Hm… fine, if this is what you want. How?"

"I'll let you decide that."

xxxxxxxx

**Some days later.**

"Mr Schnee will receive you now." The secretary said in a blank tone, not even raising her eyes from the screen.

Brushing imaginary dust off her shoulders and straightening herself, Winter pushed the large door leading to her father's office when he was resting at home. The thick carpet absorbed every noise as she walked into the richly decorated room mixing classic dark oak with numerous screens transmitting hundreds of data in real-time, all concerning the Schnee Dust company. Across the room, sitting behind an imposing black metal frame desk was her father.

"Winter. Are you doing well in your study?"

He hadn't even flinched from his position when he asked her the question.

"Yes Father."

"Your tutor noticed you were a little off schedule in your piano progress. Have this corrected before the next monthly report."

"Yes Father."

He nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Why did you reserved some of my time?"

With her father, the direct approach was often the best when it came to money. He did not like being manipulated out of even a quarter.

"I want to reassigns funds toward a soup kitchen. I have prepared a detailed plan of the donation advantages in this file here."

Reaching out, she handed him the plain folder full of files and papers which he snatched out of her hand. With the speed and experience expected from the leader of the most powerful company in the Kingdoms, he read through the whole of it in but a minute,

"You have miscalculated the imposition rate on middle city transportation and used last year projected growth for the bread cost factors, there is also quite a number of other glaring errors I did not expect you to make. Clearly your economics tutors are lacking. Still, such an act would help build up your background."

Putting down the dossier, he looked at her for the first time since she had entered his office.

"From whom does this idea come from?"

His cold blue eyes stared at her, looking right at her soul and expecting nothing less than the full truth from his daughter.

"I… saw a report about it on the newspaper." She answered with all the placidity she could muster from the height of her seven years of life.

Her words lingered in the air, threatening to fall on her like sword as she saw them slowly move through the space between her and her father, him dissecting and analyzing every single letter of her white lie. Every second now she expected him to raise an eyebrow and call her out, sending her back to her room while criticizing every single aspect of her lie. Then, the blade fell.

"Very well. You can go back to your activities I will approve your request."

"Thank you Father."

Turning back, she left him to his affairs and retreated to her room. As she walked the bare corridor of her home, nobly ignoring the various servants and people of lower standing than hers, she gave no sign of her actual state of mind. Her expression was as the marble floor, without any flaw, unreadable. The moment the door to her room closed though, this was all gone.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I am theee beessst! Whaow!"

xxxxxxxx

As she picked up the newspaper, her eyes were stuck to the picture taking half the first page. A building she recognized very well, burnt to the ground, the only thing left from the three story high building being a shell of burnt planks and a metal door frame standing alone and empty. **Building burn down during riot!** It was the title accompanying the picture. Not half an hour later she was in front of the smoking ruins, looking at it with a mix of bewilderment and confusion.

"Sad sight."

She was jerked out of her contemplation by the sharp voice over her shoulder. Spinning on her heels, she found herself facing Alatriste.

"You!"

"Me?"

"You knew this would happen!" She accused, finger raised.

"Past actions often offer a good prediction of future action. As such, I suppose you are right."

"You tricked me!"

A smirk appeared on his face. "Did I? I remember telling you to help in what you thought to be the fittest manner. This is the result of your choice."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Winter adopted a haughty expression.

"What are you implying."

"Nothing you do not already know."

His tone was full of implications, her stare heavy. Yet, when in every other situation she would have fought teeth and nails against even the merest hint of accusation, here she could not find it in herself.

"What then?"

"Well, if you are still interested, I know of a strange way to make things happen. It is difficult, involves a lot of fine manipulations and sweating, but the results are solid and always dependent on how much you put in. Are you able to follow through though that rest to be tested?"

When Winter nodded, she could never have imagined the consequences of such a simple action.

* * *

**Present**

As the hand of the hands of the nameless clock of the House of Chimes stopped on the eleventh and twelfth numbers, the great bell rang all across the city. At the ring of the first bell, Winter opened her eyes to a familiar setting. The green hue of the Everlasting candle resting on the drawing desk gave the whole room a homely eerie glow that reminded her of the waters of the Sea of Lilies. Spread about on desks, window frames, cabinet, wardrobe and other surface were a dozen clocks all set to different time for an equal number of place an unplace, their constant precise ticking and gears spinning a reassuring background noise to her. Covering the walls were layers of charcoal drawings and ink blueprint depicting the city, from the rooftops of the Shuddered Palace, the rowdy interior Singing Mandrake, the antique facade of Benthic College and even some of the beautifully natural hallway of the H.G. Wells Life Science Building. Some were old, untouched since they had been made, while other were almost fresh with several patch of paper stuck on top of some parts of the building depicting new parts.

As she rose from her large brass bed, Winter could see all of this and sense much more. A fine spyglass set up on a stand beside the closed window, the rattle of messenger bats sulking outside around the bat feeder, the grinning smile of an Unfinished Hat resting on the coat hanger eyeing her head hungrily, the half full bottle of Morelways '72 beside the drawing table, the bookcase full of Stolen Correspondences, Compromising Documents, Personal Recommendations, the Slothful Frost-Moth resting on one of the floor beam and, gnawing gently at her covered foot, a Parabolan Kitten. The cute looking panther rolling over the sheets and pouncing on her moving feet was a welcome sight to Winter as she got up, one that could have been infinitely more alarming if every mirror in the room wasn't covered with a sheet.

Stepping out of bed, Winter walked up to the windows and opened them up to reveal a beautiful panorama of the fifth city. Her rooftop shack might be slightly drafty and vertigo inducing, but few place in the Neath offered such view. Grabbing the spyglass she zoomed on the city below her, watching as a steamers came and went from the harbor, orphans and people of shadowy disposition ran along the Flit toward mischievous and terrible ends, lovers and poets haunting the hidden nooks and cranny of the aesthetically complicated Veilgarden, the great Electrodyne Towers with its brass cover and random arc of lightning, the bright flames of the Light Factory burning down, yet again. With a sight, she put down the spyglass. It could be a long time before she can enjoy such sight again, maybe forever if things took a wrong turn.

Putting back the spyglass, she moved on with her morning routine, putting on a gifted surface-silk dressing gown grabbing a piece of bread and jam to eat along with a boiled egg and a nice cup of tea. Spread over the table was last month edition of the New Paradigma, Helmsman and other less known magazine, a spider like automaton with a screen perched on it playing messages from friends, colleagues and enemies.

"Hey Winter, when you're back from your trip you have to try this new tea house on…"

"Professor Warshick is looking to recruit field researchers for an expedition into Etherspace, your contribution to Vulcan's pyramids exploration…"

"If I ever see you and your moronic Chronotic Accumulator in my class again you will learn the true power of a Etheric fusion beam converter to your face! You b…"

In short, a normal morning. Snake robots going through her hair as she ate, styling them, reading through last night check-up of her vitals and nanos, grabbing her Holtzman harness, strapping a lasgun and plasma sword to her belt, a lady's essentials these days, and some relaxing music.

"False stars above us / Liars in the dark / Glare of gaslight..."

xxxxxxxx

The streets of the Fifth City were, as always, full of live and death. Carts sold anything and everything, edible thing meant to be eaten, inedible things not meant to be eaten, edible things not mean to be eaten, inedible things meant to be eaten, miracle in sluggish form, damnation in a bottle and all things imaginable and unimaginable between. Throwing a handful of pence at a paperboy she grabbed the latest edition of the The Magazine Formerly Known As The London Magazine, the Gazette and any newspaper at hands reach before jumping on the passing tramway that would lead her to her destination. Written in ink were the latest scandals, exposed romance, crime spree, political proposition that were either berated or celebrated depending on the inclination of the journalist, news from the four corners of the Empire, the Admiralty latest propaganda piece and much more. Much more of interest to her were all the codes and ciphers hidden amongst the pages from the countless organization conspiring in the city. She found what she was looking for between an advertisement for a red honey shipment and a meeting hour between player of the Great Game in St******** church.

"Drat. The price is even higher."

With a frown, she tossed the stack of papers aside and jumped off the tramway. Making her way through the nameless streets of the city, she followed her senses through a series of dark wooden stairs hidden behind a run down pub, an alley filled with so much scribble that the red brick was completely hidden underneath and finally a long street along a small patch of garden overshadowed by antique columns. There, passing between the shadows of decorative gaslights, she disappeared. Immediately, her three hidden pursuers rushed forward.

"What the…"

"Look for a secret passage!"

"Dammit, the sonar is useless here."

In their frenzy to find her, they noticed too late the small black and blue stripes ball that fell down, rolling down between them with a clicking gear noise.

"What the…"

It was as long a sentence one of them managed before the ball exploded, sending hundreds of thin dart cable flying through the air that hooked themselves into the skin of the three pursuers. They fell to the ground, twitching as electricity rushed into their body, muscles tensing, brain overloading. A moment later, they were on the ground, unconscious while Winter watched from above atop a stone arch.

"Hm hum."

Looking away from the mess downstairs, Winter turned her head toward the annoyed looking ginger cat which she had woken up with her climb.

"Apologies for waking you up, sir cat."

He looked at her with contempt as only a cat can before sauntering off, head held high, muttering a condescending comment about humans and manners. Holding back a sigh, Winter switched the gas cartridge of her micro grappling hook.

"What a way to start the day."

xxxxxxxx

The House of Chime with its airships towers, boat and submarine harbor, was as always the resting spot of a plethora of Adventurers, numerous Professors, Field researchers and even a Doctor in the presence of bioroid Eva. The luxurious décor hosted barons of the sky loudly arguing with each other's atop tables, deep-zee sailors refusing to leave their personalized diving suit, tanned archaeologist back from digs on Venus, the Burning Sands, the Whispering Forest, Frankia's fields or any other location since ruins in a post-apocalyptic world are not hard to find, many Sky Cavaliers of course discussing in little groups and many other. In fact, it was unusual for the room not to see some kinds of explosion be it vocal, physical or Scientifical in nature.

With a nod, Winter saluted the butler as he opened the door for him.

"Charlie."

"Researcher Winter, happy to see you back from your trip." The man said with a smile.

"Me too Charlie. Is Eva present?"

"The last time I saw her, Doctor Eva was enjoying a game of chess on the third balcony."

"Thank you."

Ever the polite man, he bowed and closed the door behind her. The man, if he was one, had always intrigued her. He hadn't aged a day since the first time she had seen him and he must have had some kinds of qualities in order to run a place like this one, but she couldn't say which ones. In any case, she shook her head and walked into the organized chaos that was the main room, this line of questioning could wait. She hadn't made five step into the almost obscene room that she had to duck down to avoid a pie being throw through the air as Maximilian V crew started a meal armed discussion over the morals of Robin Hood piracy with a group of old Utopians. Dodging the chocolate éclair and millefeuilles, she rolled behind a high chair right beside a group of Cybernauts discussing the different applications of Particles charged Dust which had been her thesis subject and she just couldn't let those amateurs drag this subject into the dirt like they did. Half an hour and two entire table nap covered in equations along with an exploded statue to demonstrate practical application later, she walked away from the group with her head held high. After that, it was only a couple of handshake that were left between her and the balcony.

The balcony was hidden behind small staircase and passage ways. A personal space for Eva, dissimulated behind the glass of the large clock, where she played chest and watched the city. There was not much to the room, a large sofa, a small library, a table with a silver platter on it, wine and bread included, two chairs and a chess table. When Winter walked in though, somebody else was already here playing with her. Sitting opposite to Eva was a redhead man of striking look wearing a blue suit, his feature could be best described as stunning. There was a fire burning under his skin that was barely contained, the kind of power a star had. She flinched at the light and when she looked back the man's feature had gone from the unnatural to the simply remarkable. Braided hair, a frank nose, square jaw and bright blue eyes the color of the sky. The moment she entered, he turned his head toward her, looking her over with a neutral expression before getting up.

"Winter. Meet Adam." Said Eva.

Holding out a hand the man smiled at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Lady Eva told me many things about."

"The pleasure is the same for me, though I must admit that I cannot say our host told me much about you."

His grip was strong, his skin warm to an almost unnatural degree yet never an unpleasant one.

"That is no surprise. I am hardly a person of importance these days."

Winter did not miss Eva's eyes roll as he said that.

"It's the turn of the young to shine now." He continued.

"Adam, please." Interrupted Eva. "You're doing it again."

"Sorry. She's right." There was a gleam in his eye as he said that, a gleam that was incredibly contagious.

"She is always right." Replied Winter.

"Yes. Nobody is more often right than her."

"She is righter than any other right person." Winter could not hide her smirk.

"When everybody's right she is even more right."

"Okay, that's enough you two." Eva finally said with a soft scowl*

With a small laugh, Adam bowed to the two women. "Alright. I'll leave you two alone."

"And what about our match?"

"Queen in G7 Lady Eva." He said over his shoulder as he left through the door.

Looking down at the chess set in front of her, Eva frowned than sighed.

"Crap. Fine, come sit down Winter."

She did just that, sitting down on the simple red velvet chair while Eva replaced her chess set. A word about Eva. Though she might look human with her straight black hair, her blue and gray eyes, fair skin and warm smile, she wasn't. Created by the Cybernaut Emile Rotwang from the surgically sculpted tissues of over 300 corpses she bore no stitches nor bolt that would tarnish her almost inhuman beauty. Under her ivory gown was a steel exoskeleton with an art deco brass filigree supports her limbs and spine, fanning out into an elegant yellow collar, beside style, it allowed her to use her full strength to, let's say, rip a horse in two. Fortunately for everyone, the awakened bioroid Eva was nothing if warm and caring.

"Adam." Winter started after Eva had finished resetting her chess set. "Have you known him for long?"

"Close to a century now. He's currently the curator of an amazing museum. You should visit if you have the time."

"Sound interesting. Is that where you met him?"

Leaning back on her chair, Eva crossed her arms. "Really?"

"I am curious that is all."

With an exaggerated sigh and a smirk, Eva shook her head.

"Whatever happened to the innocent little girl I met all those years ago?"

"You know I already had read some biology books by the time we met, as well as walked through one or two brothel."

Completely ignoring her, Eva gasped and grabbed her chest in a ludicrously overacted gesture.

"My sweet little girl, so innocent, so pure, now brought low by those damnable hormones, her mind full of boys and dirty thoughts about dark bedroom."

Pouting lightly, Winter looked at Eva's antic with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

"Hey, It's my seniority privilege to mock those younger than me about this sort of things. Especially when they try to be snarky about who I frequent when they themselves start collecting dangerous lovers all over the world."

"Sorry, but what are you talking about?"

"Hum, well, let's start with Altair, the Nomad prince. I heard that you and him got very friendly during the expedition.

"Merely a fling. I have no doubt he found many other interest."

"Then there was the pirate captain Nico. Four months at sea in a cramped boat with a limited number of cabins, shirtless man all around, a swashbuckling daredevil with a roguish charm."

"Mere speculations from you."

"And most recently a certain very impetuous and determined man from the East."

That stopped Winter's hand over her queen.

"What did he say his name was, Yo…"

"Yotsu Musashi."

"Yes. You are quite exotic in your choice of lovers you know. Don't suppose you could settle in with a nice government employee to calm my fears?"

Ignoring Eva's smirk, Winter grabbed another glass of wine.

"How did you learn about him?"

"Simple, he told me."

"What!?" Winter jerked on her seat at the news.

"Hm, finally. Always a trek to get a reaction out of you."

"Eva, what are you talking about?"

"I think its your…"

"Eva." Winter's cut her. "About Yotsu."

"I know Winter, I am simply reminiscing. Give an old lady that much."

"You are n…"

"So this Yotsu made quite an impression. He barged in the streets, head held high and as arrogant as a tiger, which I suppose is fair considering what he is. He was very polite blundering his way through the city, looking for you and leaving a trail of bodies behind. Very romantic. I wasn't sure what kind of man he was, but I surely didn't expect a polite and well-mannered warrior with a taste for tea. We discussed for some time and came to an agreement."

"What kind of agreement."

"Oh, he carried your letter to your sister."

"He what!?"

"Yes. There was nobody else at hand and a trip to the heart of the Clockwork Convention is a dangerous journey. From what I heard, he made it."

Winter did not miss the slight hesitation at the end of her sentence. "Eva…"

"Fine, he ambushed the car escort of your sister and more or less turned a city block into a war zone because of the Black Spiral Dancer that followed him and all the Technocrats he smashed into and some other incidents."

It took all of Winter's willpower to not smash her glass of wine on the chess set and then throw the whole through the window and into the stolen river.

"I am going to kill him." She managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Ah, lovers quarrel. In any case, he apparently delivered the letter. As for where he is now, I guess only time will tell. But what do you want from me Winter? If its about funds for an expedition I know some Professor that would not say no to your help."

As always, Eva helpful nature took the forefront of the conversation.

Calming herself down, Winter sighed. "No, as much as I would relish another expedition, I am currently more in a personal sort of endeavours. Eva, I need to infiltrate a Hunting school."

For a brief moment, the bioroid smile faltered. Carefully, she took a sip of wine.

"At least tell me it's Mistral and you only need enough money to buy a position."

"I am afraid Vale was more the destination I had in mind."

"Of course. Why settle for the mere greedy when you can have the mind manipulator instead. Winter, why would I help you risk your life like that?"

"Eva, I am trying to save someone's life."

With a sigh, the doctor put down her glass. "Who?"

"Does it matter?"

"No, but this person is staff or student?"

"A new student."

This time, Eva visibly groaned. "Of course. Winter, what do you know of Hunting School?"

The younger women took a moment to think about her answer, reminiscing about a more naïve time of her life.

"A mix of fiction and truth I believe, with more fiction than truth. I know they are reputed to be chosen among the best warriors in order to fight Grimm monster. That is the official message at least. Since Grimm are Pentex remnants under the Progenitor's control, I figured the Technocracy used Hunters as propaganda pieces and test subjects."

"Very close. Do you remember the band of mechanically augmented assassins you met…"

"Nine years ago, yes. I remember very well. Where those…?"

"Graduates from Atlas' Academy. Iteration X likes to use already combat fit body and military conditioned mind for their Hit Mark VI prototypes. Disposables bodies to use at will, who ask no questions and can blend in. I believe they also keep their genes for their more efficient, but short-lived, Mark IV. Progenitors favor bio-modifications on their own graduates, the Syndicate treats theirs like movies or sports stars and the New World Order, well, they were always the ones for sleeper agents and brainwashed dolls and less hard science. Most of their deviants ends up being deep cover, personality implanted assassins."

"Deviants?"

"You know the term they use, Reality Deviants. The schools are how they keep them in check and controlled."

"Oh." The sobering thought deserved no more words.

"Yes, though don't get me wrong, there are still some Hunters fighting Grimm for the public. Simply, nothing at these schools is what it is like and if it wasn't for intensive mind manipulation the whole system would have the Sleepers crying for blood. These places are not battle zone; they are fortresses for the Technocracy from which nothing gets in or out without approval."

"Are you not the one who told me that no such place exists?"

Eva rolled her eyes. "No using my own words against me young miss. The point is, even with the entire Society backing you there is no way you could infiltrate Beacon and stay there for any length of time without them discovering you."

There was a lull in the conversation, then Winter had an idea.

"What about short stays?"

"… I don't like that look in your eyes' Winter. That's usually bad news for you."

* * *

The street was full of arguing philosophers, half drunk bohemians and declaiming poets being either chased by or idolized by the crowd depending on their skills, attitude and how fast the water was dripping from faulty bath. Winter ignored the commotion and walked right into the gambling den, where shadowy looking types, dandy, ladies of the night and professional players populated the rooms. She was not here for them though. Climbing the stairs half hidden on the side of the large gambling room, she moved to the second floor, a calmer place. As far as the smell of honey and other drugs and incense and sweat and beer, the sound of multiple instruments playing from different room, groans and moans and shouts, could be considered calm.

Moving through the hallway, Winter stopped before a door marked with a crude drawing and the words 'Genius at work' painted on it. Shaking her head, Winter pushed the door open and walked into the bedroom. There was beer, wine, vodka and other alcohol bottles from the common to the exotic to the downright strange spread around the floor, bed sheets, cushions, various clothes and other garments thrown about. Music sheets, instruments, smashed clocks, toys and other object completed the picture of a room that had just seen a storm pass through it. In the eye of this tempest, sitting on the floor half naked beside an electric guitar and feverishly writing down music, was Winter's reason to come, Cecilia. Lost in her own world, she didn't even flinch as Winter walked in.

"Well, more if the same I see." Winter whispered to herself.

Scanning the room, she spotted a pile of sheets slowly moving up and down. In two steps she was beside it and poking at it. A groan came from under the blanket.

"Hurg, come on Celi I need to sleep." Were the sleepy words that came as the blanket was shifted by the sleepers underneath.

Emerging from her cocoon was a green-hair girl with several piercing, a head half shaven and an interesting spider tattoo. With a little drool in the corner of her mouth and glassy eyes, she was obviously still half asleep, not for long though.

"I see Cecilia still as the same taste."

"Cec… I… what, wh… arh!"

With a shriek the girl dove back under her blanket.

"Who the fuck are you? What are you doing here?" She shouted.

"My name is Winter and I need to talk with Cecilia."

The girl simply stared back, stunned speechless by the situation.

"It is, I am afraid, a rather private subject of discussion. A discussion which will take some time."

"I, hm…" She glanced at Cecilia still kneeling over her note sheets. "I guess."

In her eyes, Winter could see the rainbow of confused emotions that usually plagued normal people trying to catch up with Cecilia lifestyle.

"You, you're not going to watch, right?" She squeaked, holding the blanket tighter.

Oh, this poor girl was clearly out of her depth sleeping with a Cultist.

Leaning forward, Winter stopped only an inch away from the girl's face, looking right into her eyes with her most serious look. "Only if you beg me gently."

In a second, the shy girl's face turned a deep shade of red.

"W… w…I!"

Before she could say anything, Winter's mouth turned into a smirk. "A jest, merely a jest." Stepping back, she smiled at the girl. "Take your time miss. I will not look."

xxxxxxxx

It took Cecilia a good hour to run out of steam and put down her pen, piles of sheets around her. Getting up, she shamelessly stretched her fatigued limbs.

"God I need breakfast."

"Regrettably, it is two past ten and a little late for proper breakfast. Though I know of some improper places."

Spinning around with a smile reaching up to her ears, Cecilia rushed toward Winter.

"Winter, you're back!"

Raising her leg, Winter stopped the charging girl.

"Shower first, hugs latter."

"Awww." She pouted for a second before smirking. "You're going to help me wash my back?"

Pushing back, Winter sent the Cultist tumbling back.

"Cold shower. Now."

"Pfu, killjoy."

After a quick shower and a forced change of clothes by Winter, the two women were sitting face-to-face, one a guitar between her hands the other a stack of sheets. In the background, slow accord could be heard. 'Riders on the storm / Riders on the storm / Into this house we're born / Into this world we're throw.'

"Hey, what happened to Maria?"

"Maria?"

"The girl who was sleeping around here."

"I sent her home."

She nodded absentmindedly. "Hum, pretty isn't she? I mean, when I met her she was just a typical rebel phase kid using her parents' money, but she has come a really long way. Still super insecure about her body though."

"I noticed."

Playing a series of soft low notes, she looked at the spot where the green-hair girl, Maria, had been. "Sure you have. Nice one." She smirked. "So, where the hell are you coming back from? Earth or Space?"

"Earth. Technocrat territory to be exact, near Vale to be precise."

"Oh. The mirrorshades hunting ground. Regimented / Designated / Mass acceptance / Over rated. What brought you there? Crazy little thing called love?"

Winter raised and eyebrow. "You know you are even worse than Eva about that."

"Well, maybe if you didn't ninja loot all the romance in every adventure we have together I would care less. I mean, I get the sexy lay in the hay while you frolic into garden with royalty, exchanging sweet words and steamy looks."

"Very well, next time you will deal with the plotting nobles while I get the sweaty athlete."

"Wow, I didn't say that. Just, you know, try to romance more open people so I can jump in."

Winter had to force her smirk back. When they first met, she never would have imagined it would have ended that way.

xxxxxxxx

**8 years ago.**

The hallway of the university dorm smelled and creaked of old history. It was in every plank, in every carving, in every lamp, in every painting. Wearing her perfectly pressed academic gown and with her few possessions in a bag, Winter walked through them like in a dream. This was perfect, a respectable place with intelligent people to teach her, a place of learning and inventions. Here, her life would be dedicated to learning all the wonder of the universe, free of pointless distraction. With these thoughts in mind, she pushed open the door to her room only to be immediately hit by a wave of… odors were the politest word her startled mind could come up with. Following close behind the smell was the sound, the groaning and moaning, the creaking of the bed, the breathless gasps. Only then did her startled mind manage to take in the sight in front of her, the discarded clothes, the intertwined bodies, the skin glistening with sweat, the grasping hands. She stood there, frozen on the threshold.

"Hey." A girl with rainbow hair said, a sluggish smile on her face. "You must be my new roommate. I'm Cecilia." She closed her eyes, shivering. "And this is Maria and this is Spark. They're just passing through."

And that was the first meeting between Cecilia and Winter.

xxxxxxxx

"We will see. I have no doubt that you soon will have plenty of opportunities to indulge."

"Really? So, need the help of old little depraved me. Where are you going? The South Sea? Back to the desert? The…"

"Vale."

A pause. "Oh. That's more of a war kind of mission then."

"Not exactly. I am teaching dance class."

* * *

Behind his desk, Ozpin was looking at a scene happening miles away some time ago. Four screens, four pair of eyes to look through. It was dark, the kind of darkness you only found underground when there were meters of rock between you and any sunlight, the kind of dark one didn't usually find in forest. Without any fear, the emotion had been properly leashed, the team walked into the wood. Through their eyes, Ozpin saw the first signs of disaster. The branches and vines twisted into primitive human shapes, the carving into the trees bark, the necklaces of small bones and runes. They paid no attention to those signs, continuing deeper into the forest. Why would they, for them Grimm were the only true danger. Oblivious, they joked as they stepped over runes and disturbed lines of blood marked rocks on the ground, not noticing the change that was happening inside them as they kept desecrating the forest. On his screen, Ozpin could see their vital signs start to show signs of disturbances, irregular heartbeat, mounting blood pressure, ragged breath. Any person from the village the team had previously been at would have turned tail and run, knowing he or she had trespassed, and would have gotten off. This team of Hunters though didn't believe in magic, having never been exposed to it outside fairy tales and midnight stories, like it should be as the Council said. Unfortunately for them, magic was dangerously real.

The first obvious sign was when one of the Huntress fell to her knee, coughing black blood. Her friend rushed toward her, only precipitating their own doom. The forest was alive around them, even though they didn't realize it. Branches were flaying against them, curling around their legs, roots were suddenly uncovered as they rushed, tripping them over painfully. Before they could even realize it, the whole group was intertwined in roots and vines, captured. At this point, the situation was not completely desperate, but reacting as they had been trained to believe, the best of the best, they began fighting. Blades were swung, cutting tree and splitting boulders, bullets tore through the wood and fire Dust flared.

On his seat, Ozpin felt his grip around his mug tighten. Through the screen, he could see one of his best fourth year team fighting their way through the forest, decimating it around them until it started really pushing back. By then their vitals were in complete havoc, their eyes, ears and mouth bleeding, their breath hard both from exhaustion and the slow degradation of their lungs. The worst was still to come though. The growling and howling of creature was heard, snarl threatening enough to make the team quiet. Then, it was on them. Crows rushed them like hornets, swarming over the team in a murderous rage. Around them, vines lashed out viciously, targeting their mouth, ears and eyes in a way Aura had never been designed to protect. Soon, the students he had spent four years knowing were being raised off the ground as they struggled in agony. Wood splinter grew through their stomach and throat, piercing their insides, rose thorns ensnared their hearts and shredded them, delicate roots dug into their veins to drink their blood like water, red and yellow petals blossomed out of their eyes, barks broke through their skin from inside them and covered their body until finally, where four students previously stood where now four great oak tree covered in red brown sap.

With a soft bip, a notification appeared on his screen, distracting him from the spectacle on screen. With a sigh, he opened the message from Glynda.

"Ozpin. These are the semester application. Please review and approve the one qualified enough for the initiation. Do not mass approve them without reading."

Some clicks later he had approved them all without even a look. He had very long ago decided to not put himself between someone and their desire to kill themselves. Another click brought him back to his dead team and the last seconds of operation of their implants. Ozpin had lived a very long life, longer than most could guess, long enough to remember the fall of an old world. Back then, this kind of show would have been all but unthinkable. These days, their isolation had made them the reality deviants. Things needed to change and quickly before the harsh law of evolution slapped them in the face even more. Those who adapt survive, the other dies.

Another bip signaled another message from Glynda.

"We received an answer for the position of art teacher. She fulfills all of the requirement for dance, art and music class. Do you want to interview her?"

Repressing a sigh, he brushed through the attached document. After the first few lines, he paused. Throughout all of his time working toward the betterment of humanity, he had done a lot of things. Some moral, some not, most depending on the perspective of the watcher. From his idealistic beginning he had learned a lot about the muddy nature of life and how things were both often very complicate, but had very simple explanation behind them. This was one of those situations he would never have even consider in the beginning, to let the enemy in. Of course, back then enemies and allies were much simpler concepts. Nowadays, friends turned traitors as often as adversaries held out a hand, men in white pushed an agenda leading to their collective extinction while impossible living creation protected and raised humanity.

Without a flinch, he approved her.

* * *


End file.
